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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. squash — the sport
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. fork — in a road
  5. bore — to drill
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. scale — in music
  9. season — of the year
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. kick — in football
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. branch — a division
  17. squash — to crush
  18. scale — size or range
  19. season — in sport
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. bore — to tire
  24. kick — a thrill

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com